Kentfield school board discusses volunteer-run school lunch program

It'll remain business as usual for the Kentfield School District's volunteer-run school lunch program until it receives word back from the state.

The district's school board met Tuesday night to discuss the state's claim that the program, which has been run by the Parent Teacher Association for years at Bacich Elementary School and Kent Middle School, violates numerous sections of the state education code.

Kentfield schools Superintendent Mary Jo Pettegrew said the state didn't do its due diligence in researching the district's program. She said the district has hired a lawyer to help defend the lunch service.

"This has been very costly," Pettegrew said. "We've spent over $8,000 trying to remediate this situation."

The state Department of Education sent a letter to the district last month after conducting a months-long investigation, stating it had received an anonymous complaint about the program. The letter said the district needs to take over the lunch program from the PTA.

One of the state's concerns is that the extra revenue from the lunches are used to fund school programs, books and equipment. The letter said that it's the district's responsibility to oversee food service, employ staff and use cafeteria revenue for expenses only.

Pettegrew said state education officials don't seem to understand that the district doesn't receive any state or federal cafeteria funds, so it has no obligation to operate a lunch program.

School board member Cynthia Roenisch said there were no union jobs that were replaced with PTA volunteers. She said the school board isn't backing down from this issue.

"I think in the future when this is settled, we should try to recoup our attorneys' fees (from the state)," Roenisch said. "They're a bully."

School board member Bitsa Freeman agreed.

"I find the whole thing such an egregious waste of time," Freeman said.

During public comment, parent Michelle Leopold said the PTA is no different from a third-party vendor like Revolution Foods, which has provided lunch service to schools in the area for many years.

"The PTA is a separate entity," Leopold said.

PTA President Karen Loebbaka said what makes the program different is that instead of having a company come in and make profits, the PTA gets to put its profits toward education.

"We're able to channel tens of thousands of dollars back to our district," Loebbaka said.

She said the program is voluntary and doesn't require students to participate.

"If you don't like it, it doesn't serve the needs of your family, pack a lunch," she said.

Parent Benjamin Wang said he's opposed to the program. He said it doesn't bother him that the PTA runs the program, but that money is made off of it.

"I object to that when I pay for a school lunch, I'm paying for other things," Wang said.

Wang said he is one of several parents who have contacted state and federal officials about the lunch program.

At this point, Pettegrew said the PTA can continue to run the lunch program while the district awaits a response to its lawyer-drafted letter to the state.

She said newly elected Assemblyman Marc Levine, a former San Rafael councilman, has offered to help and intervene on the district's behalf, if needed.